Primrose's Hunger Game
by I-Blame-It-On-The-Nargles
Summary: What would have happened if Katniss had run away with Gale, like he suggested? If there had been no one to volunteer for Prim? This is Primrose's Hunger Game.


I don't know where Katniss is. She was here this morning, and she's just _disappeared!_ Come to think of it, I haven't seen Gale either! What if they got lost in the woods hunting and don't come back until after the Reaping and then they get arrested-

Okay, Primrose, _breathe. Breathe_ Prim.

I'm a little better now. Somewhat.

_Where is Katniss?_

* * *

I'm standing in the line now, waiting for the names to get drawn. Katniss still hasn't shown up. I hope she's okay.

Effie Trinket shows up on the stage. When I was smaller, I used to giggle at her bizarre hairstyles, but now I'm just too scared. What if they call Katniss's name, and she's not here? Will they arrest us? Torture us?

_Now, Prim_, I tell myself. _This is no way to think. Katniss must be fine. She's probably somewhere in the lines, too, you just can't see her._

_No! She'd say something to let me know she's here, to make sure I don't worry like I am now._

Effie Trinket goes over to the girls bowl, and pulls a name out, reads it out loud-

_And it's mine!_

She calls my name again, and, shaking, I'm walking up to the stage. I feel that my shirt's tucked out in the back, and stick it back in before I mount the stage.

Everyone's staring at me. Effie says "Let's give her a big round of applause!", and a few people clap. Most just whisper amongst themselves. They must be upset that a 12-year-old was picked.

Effie's gone over to the boy's bowl, and pulls a name out. Peeta Mellark. I don't recognize his name, but when he comes up, I recognize his face somewhat. He was in the same year in school as Katniss. Thinking of Katniss makes my heart hurt. Where could she be? Wouldn't she at least show her face when I was picked?

Peeta gets some half-hearted claps from the crowd. He's definitely more fit than me. He's one of the baker's sons, I think.

I'm still slightly in shock from getting picked, so I don't really know what's happening, but I'm led into a room (I'm not sure where, one of the buildings around the square where they hold the reaping), and Mother comes in, and we're crying into each other's shoulders.

"Have you seen Katniss?" I whisper to her.

She shakes her head.

I hope Katniss is all right.

Mother stays with me until a Peacekeeper comes and takes her out.

I know in my heart it's the last time I'll ever see her. There's no way I'll survive. I'll be dead by the first day. I don't know anything except medicine, which is likely to get me nowhere.

* * *

I'm at the train platform, and even though I should be scared, I look at the train in awe. It's nothing like the coal trains I've seen occasionally. It's shiny and new-looking. Unlike anything here in District 12.

Peeta and I have to stand in the train's doorway while some cameras are trained on us. It looks like he's been crying. Of course, I probably look the same way. To the other tributes, we probably just look like easy pray.

Effie Trinket leads us inside, and takes me to my room. It's much bigger than I thought it would be. There's a shower too. I've never had a shower. I try it out, and it's very nice and relaxing. It almost lets me forget I'll die soon.

I pick a yellow dress and knee-length black pants to wear under it out to wear to dinner. I remember they let us wear one thing from home in the arena, so I look around for what I can take. Nothing much. I decided on the ribbons my braids wear tied in, and hope the Gamemakers will let me keep them.

After dinner, which is quite sad, really, (Haymitch doesn't show up, and Effie keeps trying to keep us lighthearted by talk of the wonders of the Capitol, which just makes me more downhearted) we watch reruns of the Reaping today. There's a girl from District 11, who looks like she's 12, too. Maybe I could get her as a partner of some sort; two people together tend to survive a bit longer in the beginning of the Games.

I go to bed, and even though I don't think I'll be able to sleep at all, I fall right to sleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, still in the clothes I wore to dinner.


End file.
